Rural England Prosperity Fund
Capital projects for small businesses and community infrastructure
On 3 September 2022, the Government announced a new, £110m Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) which will help to improve productivity and strengthen the rural economy and rural communities. The REPF is a top-up to and complementary to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and succeeds EU funding from LEADER and the Growth Programme which were part of the Rural Development Programme for England.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) announced in March 2025 that the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) will receive £33 million in continuation funding. This funding is aimed at eligible local authorities throughout England, to enable them to invest in local businesses and community initiatives to foster local growth and address specific rural challenges.
For 2025/26, the following REPF allocations have been received:
| Council | 2025/26 |
| Babergh | £186,377.00 |
| Mid Suffolk | £246,455.00 |
The following grant scheme will be available during 2025:
Rural Business Growth Fund
Capital grants are available up to £10,000 per application for businesses / organisations within Babergh and Mid Suffolk. By exception grants may be agreed of up to £15,000 for projects which strongly support the Net Zero Infrastructure or Farm Diversification priorities. The fund intervention funding rate will be 50% of the total project costs up to the maximum grant amount which means the project must be match funded at 50%. Payments are made at the end of the process, so the project will need to be fully funded before any reimbursements are made.
Apply for the Rural Business Growth Fund
Please note that this is a capital only fund (capital means assets that have monetary value, such as equipment, real estate, and inventory). Projects must meet one of the following priorities:
- Investment in net zero infrastructure
- SME investments and diversification
- Farm diversification outside of agriculture
- Visitor economy business expansion
For full details on eligibility, please refer to the Guidance Notes.
Applications will be assessed on a first come, first served basis and subject to funding still being available.
If you have any questions please email BMSDCeconomicdevelopment@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk
